Important Things You Need To Know About The Always Neglected Fuel Filler Cap

As simple as you may think the fuel filler cap is, it is a very important component of your car. Its function is to ensure that no dust, dirt or debris makes it into your fuel tank and again, that your fuel vapor does not evaporate out.

This fuel filler cap plays a very important role of trapping and using fuel vapors that would have been released to the atmosphere.

Always keep these points  at the back of your mind:

1.  Are you aware that fuel can be under pressure? After driving your car and you want to open the fuel filler cap, turn the cap one-half turn and wait for any ‘hissing’ sound to stop in order to prevent fuel from spraying out and causing possible personal injury. Then remove the cap.

2. In case you lose your fuel filler cap or it gets damaged, ensure you get only original equipment type fuel filler cap as a replacement.
The original ones have a built-in safety valve needed for proper operation of the fuel system and emission control system. Do not use clothes or nylon because an incorrect cap can result in a serious malfunction and possible injury

A Useful Way To Tell Which Side Of Your Car The Fuel Cap Is Located

3. Also ensure you tighten your fuel cap. Tighten it till it clicks. Failure to tighten it properly may cause the ‘check engine’ malfunction indication lamp to illuminate.

4. Driving with no fuel filler caps at all will put your fuel filter at risk because lack of fuel cap mean you’re exposing the fuel filter to all sorts of dust and dirt. Something can easily fly in when you’re driving or even when you’ve parked.

We would be writing a post on how you can your fuel filler cap is bad or failing.